Music brass sing the blues

(THR.com) Passion for music is higher than ever but "distribution sucks," Quincy Jones said Tuesday during a Milken Institute Global Conference where a discussion on the sorry state of the music industry dominated. The producer and composer called on the U.S. government to create "a minister of culture" because of the popularity of American music around the world. He said the business model as he has known it for half a century "is over." "We're starting at zero," Jones said, because teenagers don't even realize that music is something previous generations had to pay for. He suggested, only half kidding, a two-week blackout of music to drive home the point that music depends on profits, like any other business. Or he'd like to hire hundreds of teenagers for a few weeks then not pay them..... - Click for the full article

MySpace Music Won't Give Equity to Indie Bands

Three of the four major labels have become partners in MySpace Music, which will extend MySpace's current musical offerings to merchandise, song downloads and more. Listening Post cited concern on the part of The Orchard, an aggregator of indie bands and labels, that the indie bands who built MySpace as a music destination would not be made partners in MySpace Music. Money generated from advertising on indie bands' profile pages will flow, in part, to the major labels. Wasn't the internet supposed to be about routing around this sort of damage? - Click for the full article

Zig-Zag and CMJ Present:Zig-Zag Live Spring 2008 Band Competition

Bands: Sign-up for your chance to earn a slot to play CMJ Music Marathon 2008 this Fall in New York City along with a $2000 cash prize, ads in CMJ New Music Report, CMJ New Music Monthly and the CMJ Music Marathon Festival Guide, and an insert in CMJ Music Marathon registration bag. You are also submitting for the chance to win other great prizes.

More info at...Zig-Zag and CMJ Band Competition

Get a Chance to Play at Bonnaroo!

OurStage is thrilled to be working with Bonnaroo for 2008! Named one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll by Rolling Stone magazine, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a revolutionary entertainment experience. And OurStage is giving BANDS and FANS a chance to be a part of it all! At least 2 high-ranking artists from the Battle for the Roo Channel on OurStage will be selected to perform at Bonnaroo 2008.

More info at...http://www.ourstage.com/go/broo

Nine Inch Nails Make $1.6M on Ghosts

(Aversion) Trent Reznor's quest to revolutionize the music industry passed its first big test, with Nine Inch Nails declaring sales of its self-released album a success........